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THEN NOW & In 25 years, the artwork created by the team at dcb performance boats has blossomed beyond expectations. words Jason Johnson Photos courtesy DCB Performance Boats
When it comes to celebrating 25 years in any business, there s not a whole lot more you can say other than the company must be doing something right. Although in this case, the words something right would not be acceptable for the team at DCB Performance Boats in Southern California. You see, the talented group strives for perfection it has from day one, two and half decades ago when the insanely obsessive Dave Hemmingson founded the El Cajon, Calif., company. Since the days of turning other manufacturers models into hot rods for fellow boaters, Hemmingson and the crew at DCB have grown the company from its classic and sporty 22- and 26-foot catamarans with outboard power to Widebody 35- and 41-foot models with 1,350-hp turbocharged engines. They ve also expanded way beyond the roots they cemented along the Colorado River a hot spot for boating enthusiasts up and down the West Coast evolving into one of the nation s most notable performance boat builders. A major reason for that is DCB s reputation for building its boats with attention to detail that is second to none. Whether it s rigging, comfort, performance or appeal at the docks, everyone at DCB all of whom are diehard boating enthusiasts treats each model built for their dynamic customers both in the United States and internationally like it s their own. Throughout the years, models such as the Extreme 28 With models ranging from 29 to 41 feet, the M Series catamarans from DCB Performance Boats are highly regarded by powerboat enthusiasts. V-bottom, the 30 Sport Deck, the highly regarded F29 and F32 catamarans, and the most recent M Series boats have received praise from magazines and websites, drawn attention at poker runs and topped many classes at shootouts in Arizona, Missouri and Texas. Yet it s quite clear, especially with additional leadership in the form of Canadian performance boater Rob Blair, that 25 years is only the beginning for DCB. The company continues to progress with its forward-thinking approach and its desire to showcase the most advanced construction technologies available. Each boat built is DCB s latest work of art and everyone who has a hand in its creation understands that. Even better, a devoted family of customers understands that and is the reason DCB keeps moving forward. It s not often that a milestone such as a company s silver anniversary comes along, so we asked several members of the family what 25 years of DCB means to them and here s what they had to say. 3 speed on the water
The DCB team (from right: Dave Hemmingson, Dave Megugorac, Rob Blair, Jeff Johnston, Zack Hemmingson, Tony Chiaramonte and Paul Miller) poses for a quick picture at the recent Barrett Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Ariz. Dave Hemmingson, Owner/Founder I have to say that it s extremely rewarding to have been able to do something that I truly love for the past 25 years. I have some of the best friends in the world because of this business. While striving to create the perfect powerboat, we ve managed to build a warm, close-knit family. Just like everyone who works here at DCB, our customers are perfectionists. They demand the best and we treat each boat like it s a work of art. Not only do we deliver amazing fit and finish, the handling and performance of our boats is unparalleled. And we ve been doing that from the beginning. I love the entire creation process from the initial concept design to the manufacturing to the delivery and I know our customers do, too. I also know they love getting out on the water and going fast. That s really the common denominator between all of us. I can t tell you how excited I am about the future of our company. After 25 years things are red hot just wait, there is some cool stuff to come. Lynn Hemmingson, Owner/Manager From pouring our hearts and souls into the company to our employees taking pride in what they create, we are so proud to have built an amazing product that our customers are just as proud to be driving. The DCB family to me is made up of some of the nicest people who love high-performance boating and coming together to enjoy the company of others who also have a DCB. So many of us have become best friends. 4 speed on the water
THE EVOLUTION of dcb performance boats mach f22 mach f26 28 Extreme FX 28 30 sport deck f26 f29 f32 f34 M29 M31 widebody M35 widebody M41 widebody Rob Blair, Owner/Past Customer I like to say you re not just buying a boat from DCB, you re buying an experience. At least that s how I felt walking through the door with Dave and Lynn (Hemmingson) when I was looking for a boat. We provide an opportunity for people to enjoy this sport with others. By doing so, the DCB brand has flourished into something unique. It s really all about the people here. Success is based on the team members and as long as we stay very current with people, they re going to bring more excitement to the table and gradually bring it along with different ways of doing things. I ve owned some exotic cars over the years, and I look at that business to see how they keep bringing people into the next car. Again, it s the people they have designing them and the people they have building them. It s the forward-thinking people who lead the way. Dave and Lynn and all the guys and gals here have done such a great job for the 25 years the future looks great. Top: Tony Chiaramonte (left) and Dave Hemmingson brainstorm some ideas for the next project. Bottom: The second M41 Widebody from DCB is as stunning on its tilt trailer as it is in the water. 5 speed on the water
Javier Raisch, Southern California boater who has owned several DCBs What makes DCB stand out is the people behind the brand. I instantly noticed the passion everyone there has for boating. They all enjoy making the best product they possibly can. As the years have gone by, I ve become friends with Paul, Tony, Deron, Carlos, Zack and Eric. The term family you hear with DCB is not a cliché in mine and many others cases it s the only term to describe what happens when you buy a DCB. Since my first DCB, they ve continued to challenge themselves, refine their craft and produce a product that continues to impress. They pay attention to every detail and seem to truly enjoy the reactions of their clients seeing the piece of art they create. I feel fortunate to call these guys friends and be part of that family. I can t wait to enjoy my new M29 this spring! Paul Miller, General Manager I remember when we built our first 22. It seems like a long time ago because we ve designed and built 13 other models since then, but at the same time it doesn t feel like that long. I also remember the first time we cracked 100 mph in one of our boats heck now we re in the 170s and 180s. The speed and technology has changed the most in the last 25 years. I mean you can answer your phone from your headset now while going down the lake at 150 mph. To me though, all of this is about the customers they re the ones who push us to build the best boats possible. It s fun getting to bond with them. I ve built at least 200 boats over the years and I remember each one some of the customers are good friends still today. From top: Before owning this F32 with 800-hp Teague Custom Marine engines, Javier Raisch owned an F29, a 28 Extreme and a Mach F26, all from DCB. Next up for Raisch is a new M29 with outboards (rendering). Paul Miller started at DCB as a rigger two decades ago and is now general manager of the company. 6 speed on the water
Tony Chiaramonte, Sales Manager I ve seen a lot of people come and go, including myself, and I m glad I came back I wouldn t have it any other way. Luckily DCB has always remained grounded by keeping to what the company has been about since it started building the right amount of boats to make the right amount of profit while creating a product as best and as nice as humanly possible. It has been an honor and a privilege to work here; we have some of the most talented people in the industry on one team. The expectation levels are unparalleled and the level of camaraderie is second to none. My sureal moment came when I hooked up the first M41 and hauled it Miami two years ago. It used to be a 22-footer in the mirror, now I m looking back and there s a 41-foot cat with an 11-foot beam on a tilt trailer. It was crazy to think how far we ve come in a 25-year span. Thanks to attendance at events across the country, Tony Chiaramonte is one of the most recognizable faces at DCB. From a 28-foot V-bottom to Silver Lining, DCB s first M41 Widebody catamaran, the company s evolution was on display at the 2013 Texas Outlaw Challenge. Oklahoma s Carlton Bass picked up this barely used M35 Widebody his second DCB in August. Carlton Bass, Oklahoma boater with twinengine M35 Widebody and single-engine F29 I don t know how many people care about the detail that goes into one of DCB s boats, but I know I sure do and I appreciate every painstaking detail. The guys at DCB are incredibly talented. To be in business for 25 years in and of itself earns you some credibility, but you won t stay in the game if you don t evolve, and DCB continues to do so. I can t say enough about the boats and the guys who build them. I mean you can go under the dash and study the wiring harnesses. DCB puts so many little touches in the boats it s fascinating really.
Deron Rettke, Lead Rigger Over the last 15 years or so I ve seen some pretty amazing things working for DCB. Obviously we went through some tough times when the economy crashed, but it s rebounded and we re building some wild boats with some really big power both of which I couldn t have imagined when I started here. We ve always pushed for bigger and better, and we really push each other to improve. I don t think I could work anywhere else. All of us here at DCB take such an amazing amount of pride in our work and we all want our work to be the best of the best. We re a very competitive group when it comes to our jobs. Luckily we have great leadership at the top that allows us to do just that. That s one of the reasons we ve evolved so much over the years. Brad Macaulay, Canadian boater with twin-engine M31 Widebody In my opinion, there s never been a better time to purchase a DCB. What makes DCB a world-class high-performance boat is the leadership of Rob Blair and, most of all, the employees who deliver so much pride and effort into every boat that they produce starting from the initial design right through to the water test. From the gelcoat and lamination to the rigging and upholstery, there are many reasons I purchased my DCB M31. Once you decide to purchase a boat you automatically become part of the DCB family. The people who I have met are just awesome; all of the DCB owners take a lot of pride in their respective boats. Being from Kelowna, British Columbia in Canada, I m basically 26 hours away from the El Cajon shop and it s like we are neighbors thanks to the social events put on during the year to keep the family together. Top: DCB s Deron Rettke prepares to lower a turbocharged Mercury Racing 1350 engine into an M35 Widebody. Bottom: Brad Macaulay enjoys his cover-worthy beautiful blue M31 Widebody during the Desert Storm Poker Run.